The popularity of indoor tanning is no big shock to the typical young woman: 28 million Americans visit tanning salons every year. Seventy percent of fake-bakers are white teen girls and women. In fact, almost half of 18- and 19-year-old chicks say they've gone indoor tanning on at least three occasions, reports one study.

That's alarming, considering that research links artificial light to an increase in skin cancer. Among the scary facts: UV rays emitted by tanning booths are so concentrated, 20 minutes of exposure is equal to more than three hours outdoors in the sun. And one study found that a single indoor-tanning session raised a woman's melanoma risk by 55 percent. No wonder the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Medical Association have called for federal legislation to make the general public more aware of the dangers.

Along with these groups, Cosmo feels that publicizing the risks of indoor tanning might help make a dent in the skin-cancer epidemic. Joining us in our concern was Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), a longtime champion of women's health issues. In 2006, along with Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL), she first introduced into Congress H.R. 4767: The Tanning Accountability and Notification Act. And great news: The TAN Act was passed on September 27, 2007!

What now? Well, the FDA must now conduct consumer testing to determine if the current text and position of warning labels on tanning devices adequately informs users of the risks associated with using them. "I don't think the warning is clear about the fact that artificial UV light increases your risk of developing skin cancer," says Rep. Maloney.